Osteospermum plant named ‘Spark Orange’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Spark Orange’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; vigorous growth habit; light green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with intense orange-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Spark Orange’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Spark Orange’.

The new Osteospermum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Julie, not patented. The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the cultivar Julie in a controlled environment in Gifu, Japan in February, 2003. The selection of this plant was based on its attractive ray floret coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Gifu, Japan since April, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Spark Orange has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spark Orange’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spark Orange’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Light green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Daisy-type inflorescences with intense orange-colored ray         florets.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gifu, Japan, plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of the parent, the cultivar Julie, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more vigorous than plants         of the cultivar Julie.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum had curled leaves whereas         plants of the cultivar Julie had flat leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the cultivar Julie         differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar         Julie had light orange-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum cultivar Mikey, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gifu, Japan under natural season conditions, plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of the cultivar Mikey in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more vigorous than plants         of the cultivar Mikey.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum had curled leaves whereas         plants of the cultivar Mikey had flat leaves.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum and the cultivar Mikey         differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar         Mikey had yellow-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Spark Orange’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Spark Orange’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Japan during the winter and early spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 30° C. and night ranged from 8° C. to 12° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were about four to five months old when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Spark     Orange. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Osteospermum     ecklonis cultivar Julie, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two to three weeks.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About three to four weeks.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright and compact plant habit.             Columnar with inflorescences positioned well above the             foliar plane. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 12             cm.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About 20             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 13 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Internode length: About 5 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Slightly pubescent. Color: 145A.         -   Foliage description.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Width: About             2 cm. Shape: Spatulate, elongated; sessile. Apex: Obtuse.             Base: Acute. Margin: Serrated. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing foliage, upper             surface: 137C. Developing foliage, lower surface: 146C.             Fully expanded foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 146C;             venation, 145A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elongated             oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences positioned above             the foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disc and ray florets             developing acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences face             mostly upright. Freely flowering habit; about four to five             inflorescences develop per plant. Inflorescences persistent.             Inflorescences not fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower in March and April.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About             1 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.8 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 9 mm. Receptacle height: About 3 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 3 cm.             Width: About 8 mm. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire:             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Orientation: Upright. Number of             ray florets per inflorescence: About 21 in a single whorl;             florets imbricate. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: 28A; towards the base, 89A. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: 25A.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 6 mm. Diameter, apex: About 1.5 mm. Diameter,             base: About 0.5 mm. Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: About 50. Color: Immature: 95A. Mature: Apex:             95A. Mid-section and base: 145D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20. Length:             About 1.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Linear. Apex:             Acuminate. Base: Obtuse, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper surface:             137A. Color, lower surface: 139C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:             Rough. Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther color: Purplish. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Orange. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc             florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma color: Purplish.             Style color: Purplish.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about     35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Spark Orange’, as illustrated and described. 